The present disclosure relates generally to battery charging operations, and more particularly, to methods and systems for controlling a dual circuit inverter to dynamically adjust an output voltage of a battery charger.
Power supply circuits typically convert AC power to an output suitable for battery charging operations. The output power is provided at an appropriate voltage or current level and may be controlled and regulated according to an algorithm or regime based on the requirements of the battery being charged. Battery chargers are often required to charge a range of battery sizes and types used in a variety of types of applications, such as automotive, industrial, household, and so forth. For instance, battery chargers may need to be equipped to handle a range of battery voltages (e.g. 6V, 12V, 24V, and so forth) and a variety of battery chemistries (e.g. lead acid, lithium ion, nickel cadmium, and so forth).
The load requirements of the highest rated battery that a traditional charger is equipped to charge typically determine the thermal design of the power supply circuits, dictating the size and rating of components such as transformers, heat sinks, power devices, cooling fans and so forth. This generally results in a circuit with oversized components or a lack of efficiency when the battery charger is operating below the highest voltage it is equipped to handle. Accordingly, it is now recognized that there exists a need for circuits that can better handle the variety of load requirements a battery charger experiences without the inefficiencies of traditional designs.